Krispy Kreme wants to take Toronto by storm — again
By Ben Fisher
They're baaaack (Image: Ken Funakoshi)
Perhaps LL Cool J said it best: “Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years.” The sentiment holds true for Krispy Kreme, particularly regarding its position in the Toronto market. Thought to be long gone after a 2005 company restructuring took away locations throughout the city, the maker of unapologetically calorie-rich doughnuts has kept factories going throughout Ontario and has even maintained a tiny shop at Bathurst and Harbord.
Now, Krispy Kreme is ready to once again make a splash in Canada’s biggest city with the opening of Krispy Kreme Doughnut Café, a new 600 square-foot flagship at 162 McCaul Street.
With the opening of a new Krispy Kreme location also comes the unveiling of a new direction for the chain, which aims to enhance menu options and offer more of a “café” experience.
“We want Krispy Kreme to be known for more than just our doughnuts and coffee,” says franchisee Chris Lindsay. “We have muffins and croissants, but also new signature items like our pull-aparts and kruffins.”
The kruffin ($2.50) is simply Krispy Kreme’s take on the muffin — that is, an icing-infused pastry that comes in a wide variety of different flavors (the banana walnut kruffin is currently the most popular). The pull-apart ($3), meanwhile, represents the company’s foray into more lunch-based fare. It’s a pastry baked with substantial, filling ingredients like bacon, sausage or egg and sprinkled with spices and other flavouring.
The McCaul Street location, which celebrated its grand opening in style — including free doughnuts for a year for the first 12 customers in line (they were lined up well before the 7 a.m. opening) — has been designed with a café feel. In addition to bench seating along the front window, the store boasts a cozier back room with tables and cushy furniture.
But even with all the additional bells and whistles, Krispy Kreme’s central appeal remains the same. The doughnuts are still fresh and utterly decadent (the original glazed remains our personal favorite, harkening back to the chain’s glory days when it burst onto the Toronto scene to high demand almost a decade ago).
The new doughnut café could bring about a new era for Krispy Kreme, which is actively searching for new locations in Toronto and other Canadian cities.
Krispy Kreme Doughnut Café, 162 McCaul St., 647-345-4439
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